A view on positive breastfeeding
Note: I am not a breastfeeding expert. I am a trained postpartum doula with knowledge on basic breastfeeding, a mother that breastfed her 3 babies, and an advocate for continuous learning.
Today on my morning walk, I listened to Jojo Hogan’s podcast episode: Planning your positive breastfeeding journey with Jaimie Zaki (S2 E11). It was a great 45 minute conversation. So much that I wanted to take a moment to share a few highlights from the episode that got me thinking, and share a personal moment from one of my own breastfeeding journeys.
In an ideal scenario, breastfeeding knowledge would be shared before the baby arrives by an international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), on a one to one basis. An opportunity to talk about how the pregnant woman would like to breastfeed, the common or potential hinders, practical tools to resolve these, and a network of other professionals to refer to if necessary. This is amazing knowledge and confidence to receive before the baby arrives versus after baby arrives, where the new mother does not have the capacity to take in new information in the same way. During this preparation, it is important to hold space for her maternal intuition too. Finding the balance between receiving information and following intuition, could make her breastfeeding journey feel a little less overwhelming.
Once the baby has arrived, the new mother needs rest, appropriate nutrition and nervous system regulation to overcome any challenges she may face during her breastfeeding journey. This is where her village of care would step in - partner to remind her breastfeeding preparation, family and friends bringing nourishing meals, postpartum doula providing emotional and physical support, local IBCLC under her list of important contacts. Breastfeeding is complex - just because it is natural, it doesn’t make it easy. And women were never meant to do it alone.
The podcast also mentioned how breastfeeding is innate for all babies. If the birth and the time after have as few interruptions as possible, the baby has a biological instinct to find its way to its mother’s breast. While I was having my own breastfeeding difficulties as a new mother, it was a midwife home visit that made me experience my first breastfeeding magic. She had told me to undress both my 2-day old baby and myself, sit comfortably on the sofa slightly laying back, place him on my chest, and wait. After about 3-4 minutes, I started feeling him move lightly, wiggling his way down very slowly. Then I saw his little head elevating and pecking on my chest, his hands further nudging him down , and all of a sudden where his body was once perpendicular to mine, he laid in a semi-horizontal position, spread across my abdomen and attached to the breast. I remember feeling in complete awe of what had just happened. I still am in awe that we can produce food for our baby, and our baby knows exactly how to get it.
As a postpartum doula, I am inspired to continue learning so I can share more knowledge and practical tools with the expectant mother during preparatory meetings. I am also inspired to work together with IBCLCs to be able to give as much complete care as possible. It takes a village, and the new mother deserves it.